What Size Should My Bathroom Ventilation Fan Be?

07/28/2017

Average tasks like showering, bathing and shaving can put home-destructive humidity into the air in your Bountiful home. There’s good news though—a modest bathroom ventilation fan can save you from warped wood, mold growth, broken drywall and other problems connected with a humid bathroom.

Even if you have ventilation fans in your bathrooms, do you know if they’re the correct size? Are they as noiseless and energy efficient as they could be? Craig's Appliance Heating & Cooling is here to answer your questions.

Today’s bathroom ventilation fans are small and sleek and they work more quietly and economically than ever before. You’ll find a large range of selections, from average fans that will get the job done to fans with fitted heat lamps, motion sensors and heat-exchanger ventilation that helps block warmed air from leaking through your ventilation. While there are a lot of bells and whistles to select from, the most important characteristic of your fan is whether or not it’s full-sized enough to do its job.

Rated by the cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air they push, a bathroom ventilation fan should be able to replace the air in a bathroom at least eight times an hour. With a normal 8-foot ceiling, your ventilation fan should have a CFM rating almost as high as the number of square feet in your bathroom. So, if your bathroom is 5 feet by 8 feet, a CFM rating of 40 would be satisfactory.

If you have a taller ceiling, the equation gets a little more complex. You’ll want to multiply the width of the room by its height and length, divide it by 60 and multiply by 8. Or, to keep it easy, you can heed HGTV’s advice for bathrooms larger than 100 square feet – establish your CFM requirements by increasing 50 CFM for every toilet; 50 CFM for each shower, bath and combo; and 100 CFM for each whirlpool.

If you’re unsure if your bathroom ventilation fan is the correct size, or you know it’s time for a new one, give the pros at Craig's Appliance Heating & Cooling at call at 801-295-3357. We’re here to help you ensure you have a ventilation fan that will work hard to guard your home and keep it comfy. You can even set up an appointment with us online if that’s the most straightforward for you.

About Craig's Appliance Heating & Cooling

Lennox was started to provide some of the most dependable, reliable HVAC systems in the field while providing great service and quality for customers. Craig's Appliance Heating & Cooling in Bountiful is no different, with our constant commitment to your comfort and commitment to the community. We strive to be the best at what we do so you can always be comfortable, and know you can always count on us. Give us a ring at 801-295-3357 or schedule an appointment with us so we can help you achieve complete home comfort.